The Bible in English Literature

The Bible has had an immense influence on English literature from its earliest origins through
the present day. Many of the most celebrated works of English poetry, drama, and prose have
been deeply shaped by biblical narratives, language, imagery, and themes.

In the medieval period, writers like the Pearl Poet and William Langland wove biblical stories
and concepts into dream vision poems like Pearl and Piers Plowman. Geoffrey Chaucer's
Canterbury Tales contains characters like the Parson who represent the clergy and explores
moral issues through a biblical lens.

During the Renaissance, the newly translated Geneva Bible allowed writers to engage more
directly with scripture. John Milton's epic Paradise Lost retells the biblical story of the Fall in
blank verse. The metaphysical poets like John Donne and George Herbert focused intense
meditations on biblical texts and theological questions.

In the 17th century age of religious conflict, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress used
allegorical fiction to relate the biblical concept of spiritual pilgrimage. The King James Bible,
with its powerful linguistic influence, provided source material for writers like John Milton and
the metaphysical poets.

In the 19th century novel, biblical allegories and storylines surface in works like Herman
Melville's Moby Dick and George Eliot's Middlemarch. T.S. Eliot's modernist masterpiece The
Waste Land interweaves biblical verses and motifs.

From the earliest medieval texts through postmodern fiction, the Bible has provided English
writers with a profound well of ideas, stories, language, and truths to grapple with. Biblical
themes of sin, redemption, sacrifice, and moral urgency have coursed through the veins of
English literature.
 Noah’s Ark

The Lord saw how utterly wicked people on earth had become; every thought was only evil all the time.
So God said, “I will destroy from the earth the people I have created. And with them, the animals, birds,
and creeping things” (Genesis 6:5–7).

But Noah found favor with God for he alone was righteous among the people of his day. Noah had three
sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And God said to him, “I will establish My covenant with you; you will go
into the ark with your wife, your sons, and their wives” (Genesis 6:8–10, 18).

God said to Noah, “I am going to destroy all flesh because the world is full of violence. Build an ark of
gopherwood, with rooms inside, three decks, and a door. Cover it inside and out with pitch.” And Noah
did exactly as God commanded him (Genesis 6:13–22).

God also told Noah, “Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and his mate, and a pair of
the animals that are not clean, the male and his mate, and seven pairs of the birds of the heavens also,
male and female, to keep their offspring alive on the face of all the earth” (Genesis 7:2–3, ESV).

So Noah and his family went into the Ark because of the coming Flood. And every land animal after its
kind went with them, two by two, male and female, just as God had commanded. And the Lord shut the
door (Genesis 7:7–16).

Then the Flood began. The fountains of the deep broke open, and the windows of heaven were opened.
Rain poured for forty days and forty nights. The waters rose until every high hill on the earth was
covered. Everything that lived on land perished in the raging floodwaters (Genesis 7:17–24).

The waters flooded the earth for one hundred and fifty days. And God remembered Noah and the
animals on the Ark. The waters receded and the Ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat (Genesis
8:1–5).

After sending out a raven, Noah sent out a dove to see if there was dry ground. But it came back having
found nowhere to perch. After seven days, Noah sent it back out and it came back with a fresh olive leaf
in its mouth. And Noah knew the ground was drying (Genesis 8:6–12).
Then God told Noah, “Come out of the ark. And bring the animals with you so they can be fruitful and
multiply and fill the earth.” So Noah and his family came out with all the animals (Genesis 8:13–19).

Then Noah built an altar and offered burnt offerings to the Lord on it. And God said, “Never again will I
curse the ground because of man or send a flood to destroy all living things, even though mankind’s
heart is evil from childhood.” And God blessed Noah and his family saying, “Be fruitful and increase in
number and fill the earth” (Genesis 8:20–22)